If last year’s Galaxy Z Flip4 solidified Samsung’s revitalization of the flip phone in the current smartphone marketplace, the new Galaxy Z Flip5 represents the needed innovation to place it in contention with non-hinged phones as competitors begin to emerge.
This year’s iteration of Samsung’s style-forward and content-focused device sports three major changes that put it in that position, the most exciting of which being the new Flex Window external display. One of the unique factors of foldable phones is the extra real estate available via the cover screen, and Samsung took a big leap in utilizing that space to extend the flexibility of a device already known for such.
The Flex Window is a 3.4-inch external display that runs most apps that the Galaxy Z Flip5 can run unfolded, making use at a glance quick and easy. Users can do everything from checking weather and health information to sending text messages to falling down YouTube rabbit holes via the cover screen. Navigation is simple too via finger swipe or a two-finger pinch to open an overlay, and apps switch from the Flex Window to the device’s unfolded 6.7-inch display simply by opening the device.
This development made the Galaxy Z Flip5 an even better on-the-go smartphone option than its predecessor during my time with it, especially given the advantage of the phone’s design for capturing and viewing pictures and video. The only real drawback to the Flex Window is that the cover screen to full display app transition doesn’t flow the opposite direction, meaning closing the phone while using an app won’t automatically open it on the external display. It’s a small inconvenience, but an inconvenience nonetheless.
The Galaxy Z Flip5 gets a boost in performance thanks to the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip that powers the Galaxy S23 series, helping it power the additions and improvements to the device despite still only including 8GB RAM of memory. That also aids in improved image and video quality via its 10MP front camera and 12MP wide and ultrawide back cameras over last year’s model as well as key competitors.
Battery life is still great on the Galaxy Z Flip5. I regularly had plenty of battery left at the end of the day despite heavy usage, though extended camera use did make the device run a little warm from time to time.
The aluminum casing feels sturdy, and the redesigned hinge brings an even greater sense of durability along with a decreased crease. Samsung made a major talking point out of the fact that the new hinge finally allows the device to fold completely flat, which may sound minimal but does help how tactile the phone feels in both hand and pocket. It also made one-handed use of the Flex Window just easier enough for me in daily use.
The attractiveness of the Galaxy Z Flip5 is still a bit limited when compared to traditional smartphones, evidenced by Samsung’s continued marketing of the foldable as style-forward rather than a productivity machine. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t belong in the conversation alongside its more rigid counterparts though. The Galaxy Z Flip5 will bridge that gap for many who simply want a great phone that doesn’t need to be a work hub, which is a huge chunk of the smartphone market. That $1000 price tag still feels hefty, but the changes made to Samsung’s trademark foldable will likely be worth it for intrigued audiences.